NBA legend and Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor, the NBA announced Saturday in a released statement.
The announcement was made on behalf of Mutombo and his family as the big man is beginning his treatment in “great spirits.”
“He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment,” Mutombo’s family said in the issued statement shared by the NBA.
“Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care. They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes.”
Mutombo, 56, played 18 NBA seasons in the NBA for seven different franchises before retiring after the 2008-09 season.
Those teams include the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets (Currently known as the Brooklyn Nets), Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and the Houston Rockets.
Along with currently ranking second in the league’s history for career blocks, Mutombo was the NBA’s top defensive player four times, earned three All-NBA selections, and played in eight NBA All-Star games.
The Hall of Famer, who speaks nine languages and has severed on many organization boards, has also helped the people of The Democratic Republic of the Congo through his Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which was founded in 1997.
The foundation focuses on improving health, education, and quality of life for the people in Africa’s second-largest country.
“We know he will approach this challenge with the same determination and grit that have made him a legend on and off the court,” said Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler in a quote to the Associated Press.
The family did not release any other details to the public surrounding the situation’s severity or what prompted the tumor’s discovery.
We’re sending prayers to Mutombo and his family.
